Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-11-11
BOYS WHO SUCCEED.
THE VAST ARMY IN NEW YORK CITY
WHO LABOR TO LIVE.

City - Examples of Marked Sue
ccss.
The last census placed the population of
New York city at ,200, 900, and statisticians
tell us that fully 200, 900 of the number are
children. By further subdivision we reach
the startling fact that tho number of New
York boys who earn their own living, or con-
tribute to it, is fully 10000, quite an army in
itself. There Is no exaggeration in these
figures. These working boys may be divided
into two classes-those with homes and those
without. The first comprise about 5000,
for there are fully 1000 who, having no
parents or being driven from home by cruelty
or neglect or bad conduct, have no abiding
place except tho lodging houses established
for thor benefit or such holes and corners rs
thoy may find. Tho boy with a home has an
immense advantage over his homeless brother,
for in the event of his being thrown out of
employment he can fall back upon his
parents or other relatives for food and shelter
until he finds another place; yet the homeless
class turn out larger percentage of smart
and Industrious men than the more favored
class
The life of n working boy usually begins
between the ages of 10 and IL, though the
street boys often begin at all earlier age
Tno problem of work being presented to him,
he usually seeks employment in an office
Like the drift wood in turbulent river, the
boy is the creature of accident, for three or
four may start out together and by the
merest chance find their paths diverging
without any effort on their part.
well known stock broker once told the
writer that he and boy neghbor left school
at the some time to begin the real struggle OF
life. "We came down town." said he, ION a
horse car to the city hall and looked for an
opening. AS my companion was the younger
we had agreed that he should make the first
effort. Passing down Nassau street, we
noticed placard in stationery store window
announcing the want of boy. Tom went in
only to find that another boy had just secured
the position. AS he turned, with a disap-
pointed face, to leave the store a customer
asked him few questions and engaged him
on condition that his references proved salts
factory. The gentleman was a lawyer, with
an office near by, and as they came out
learned how fortunate Tom had been. 1 sup
pose there was a bit of envy In my face, for
the lawyer asked If l was looking for employ
ment, and being answered in the affirmative
he told me of stock broker who wanted q
bright, active boy Well, Tom and 1 both
got places that day. He went on his line, /
on mine, and in time he studied law, was ad-
mitted to the bar and became leading poll
tician, finally going to congress. remained
i'll tho street, learned the mysteries of puts
| and calls and all the rest of the ways of Wall
street, and as you see am now broker my
| self and this morning engaged another Office
| boy, his predecessor having risen to the dig
| nifty OF clerk, as l once did myself"
| This Is the history of many a man who is
| now prosperous and respected.
A boy once walked into the office of John
| Roach and asked for employment. The
| famous shipbuilder, though once poor boy
| himself, was so busy with some important
estimates that he gavo the applicant rather
an abrupt and negative answer. The boy had
met with several similar answers that day,
| yet no was not discouraged On the walls q
the office were hung drawings of ships and
steamers, and almost on level with his own
| head was the sectional plan of an ocean
| steamer. Boylike, he examined these draw
| ings with interest, and, there happening to
| be piece of paper on the table. he fell to
copying tho sectional drawing. While thus
employed Mr.. Roach, supposing himself to be
alone, began calculating aloud.
"Iet me see" said he "that makes a total
OF eighty-six tons of steel; now four times
eighty -six is"
"Three hundred and forty-four," said the
| boy, imagining himself in school for the
moment
$50 it is" replied Mr. Roach. looking at
the boy in surprise, for he had forgotten all
about him. "Who are your
"rm the boy who asked you If you didn't
| want one."
"Ah, yes; but didn't say nog"
ayes, SIR"
"What have you been doing thereg" de-
| mandcd the shipbuilder, seeing that the bo,
had defaced the back of a valuable drawing,
| though the little fellow had no idea the sheet
lsNf h...l 4. Al
II was copying that drawing, sir was it
any harmf'
MIR. Roach, naturally kind hearted, looked
at the paper and saw that the boy was a good
| draughtsman for ihis age. This and his
familiarity with the multiplication table In
duced the shipbuilder to make further in
quiries, which finally led to the boy being
| given place. He was sent to the engineers
| room where his talents soon developed, and
| by the timo he reached manhood young "344, I"
Us Mr.. Roach humorously called him, became
a thorough engineer and is now a famous
naval designer.
An office boy in the employ of a maker of
models for inventors once sat by the stove
and listened to u customer describe a machine
| he wished made The machinist examined
| the drawings and saw defect which would
| defeat the end in view. Being an honest man
| he called attention to the fact, and suggt steol
further study. The inventor laid down his
plans in disgust, and reniarking that he
would call for them, went away. Being idle
for the moment the boy took the drawings
and examined them. When the inventor
| came back the boy was alone.
81 wonder how l can get over tho diff
Guilty" said the man to himself, as he glanced
over the plans before putting them in his
pocket. "The principle is correct il 1 can
only adopt it."
That's easy enough, SIR" said tho boy
"All you have to do is to lengthen the arm of
your crank and SO increase your power"
1t was an inspiration, and thus one of the
most important improvements in steam en-
| gines was decided by the discovery of an
| Office boy, who became a noted inventor
himself in after ycars-New York Star.